Prepared Remarks of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales
at the Naturalization Ceremony Aboard the USS Intrepid

New York, NYJuly 6, 2006

Good morning. Thank you, Director Gonzalez, for having me here, and
congratulations to all of today’s new American citizens.

This is, truly, a great day to be an American – and what more magnificent
setting to celebrate the spirit of our great nation than here aboard the USS
Intrepid. Her history, which tells the story of freedom’s fight, reminds us of
the heart and sacrifice made every day by our men and women in uniform, some of
whom risk their lives every day for America even though they are not American
citizens.

You have all been Americans in your hearts for some time. But you will never
forget this very special day, and how it felt to take the oath that made you,
officially, an American citizen.

Like so many new Americans before you, you will pass that feeling, that pride,
on to your children and grandchildren.

My parents were both children of immigrants who instilled in me a deep
appreciation for being an American. They never let me forget that being a
citizen of this great country means having limitless opportunities – if you
work hard!

When I became Attorney General I took an oath much like the one you all took
today – and I couldn’t help feeling, at that time, the power and the blessings
of a country that my grandparents chose. A country that enabled a family to
produce an Attorney General just two generations after coming here. And they
came with nothing more than their names, their work ethic, and their desire to
make a better life for themselves and their children.

To be an American citizen is special; you know this. It is a coveted and
respected title all over the world. The freedom and opportunity offered by the
United States attracts so many hopeful souls, in fact, that we are challenged to
manage the flow of immigrants into our country.

The desire to achieve this title, this status, of American citizenship is why we
are a nation of immigrants – and that is a characterization that we should
preserve. Diversity makes our country strong and rich in ways that are
difficult to quantify. What is clear is that a nation made up of people who
came here for freedom, or who were born to parents or grandparents who sought
freedom – is a special land indeed. The diversity this has rendered is
important to cherish and to protect.

We are also a nation of laws, and that is one of America’s strengths as well.

I imagine the new citizens here today are very aware of the fact that the legal
path you took to citizenship is not being followed by millions of other people
who are nonetheless benefiting from the opportunities of this great country.

You, and I, understand their desire to be Americans, of course. But Illegal
immigration compromises the core American value of fairness.

The President and I believe that, morally, those of us in government owe it to
you – the people who followed the rules to become citizens – to enact
comprehensive immigration reform, and to do it right.

To get it right, the new policy must be reasonable, fair and just. It must also
be based in reality.
For example, we cannot, realistically, deport the 12 million people who are
here illegally today. And we cannot ignore those who came here illegally, but
have been living and working here for a long time. Most are people who have
otherwise been productive and law-abiding members of our society.

These people should be given the chance to earn citizenship. To do so, they
should have to pay substantial fines, pay back taxes and pay back-Social
Security taxes if they haven’t already. Finally, they will have to start at
the beginning of the process of gaining their citizenship. This is only fair
to those who – like those of you here today – are or were already in line
legally, and those who for many years followed the law and followed the rules.

Citizenship in this country is a privilege, and it must be earned. Each of you
knows this.

Like anything that is earned, citizenship will be especially cherished by those
who work for it. For those who came here illegally, immigration reform will
make the road to citizenship harder and longer, but not out of reach. Again,
this is a fair and practical solution to the challenge facing all Americans,
including those Americans with us today.

In my position, I frequently discuss the importance of the rule of law. It is
one of the core values that makes our country great and keeps it free.
Comprehensive immigration reform will restore faith in the rule of law while
honoring our tradition as a nation of immigrants. And this is the beauty of
well-constructed laws – they protect what we value most while keeping pace with
changing times, circumstances and challenges.

As newly naturalized citizens, each of you has an important perspective on the
challenge our country faces with immigration. Please exercise your wonderful
rights as citizens by engaging your public officials in conversations on this
topic. I know that your input will be valued.

I appreciate that your path to citizenship has been long, it has been legal, and
each of you have displayed both tenacity and love of country by completing the
steps and following the rules. Again, I am proud to be with you on this, one
of the most memorable and important days of your lives – the day you became
citizens of the land of the free, the home of the brave.

So congratulations and welcome to the ever-growing, dynamic and wonderfully
diverse American family. May God bless you and may He continue to bless this
country you now proudly call “home.”